"Not the slightest necessity."
"At least your slaves are armed?"
"They are all at their work; follow me," said the captain.
They obeyed his order, and walked to the foot of the metal ladder.
The captain folded his arms, and stood by the side of the professor.
Mont and Carl were together.
Even Stump had crawled along the passage to see what would happen.
Captain Vindex made a sign to a slave, who, touching a spring, caused atrapdoor in the back of the _Searcher_ to fly open.
The sunshine descended in a flood.
Terrible cries of rage and triumph were heard, and a swarm of nativesappeared on all sides.
At least twenty made a rush at the ladder, brandishing their tomahawksand spears, while they uttered fierce yells and scraps of war songs.
The first who grasped the railing, and placed his foot on the ladder,gave a bound back, and the most fearful shrieks burst from his quiveringlips. A second, a third, and a fourth did the same.
What invisible force was at work Mont did not know. He thought the daysof magic and sorcery had returned.
A score of Papouans tried to descend; but they had no sooner made theattempt than they instantly retreated, yelling dismally, and threwthemselves into the sea.
"Stunning," said Mont. "It's fine, but I don't know how you do it."
The captain smiled.
To get a better view, Mont put one foot on the staircase and one hand onthe railing.
He immediately withdrew them, uttering a cry which was loud enough towake the dead.
"Oh, oh!" he cried.
"What's up?" exclaimed Carl, who could not help laughing.
"I see the dodge now," said Mont; "it's an electric battery applied tothe metal of the staircase, and whoever touches it has a shock. I've hadit before at Coney Island, and at fairs. You pay a dime and getelectrified."
"Ah!" ejaculated the professor, upon whom a light began to dawn.
"You are right," said the captain calmly. "I have connected the brassstaircase with the powerful storage battery that gives us light andpower, and the ignorant savages are frightened at they know not what. Ifthey had persisted in their attempt to enter the ship I should haveapplied all my electrical force, and they would have fallen as dead asflies on a fly paper; but I did not wish to harm them. They are enemiesunworthy of my hatred."
The news of the dreadful and mysterious pains which they felt werespread by the shocked natives to their friends.
Alarmed and horrified, they beat a precipitate retreat, swimming androwing back to the shore.
In half an hour the beach was deserted, and all flew away from the seafiend whose nature they could not understand.
"They take us for the Old Nick," said Mont.
"Twelve o'clock," exclaimed the captain, who was always as punctual asfate; "I said we should sail at twelve."
At this moment the engines began to revolve, and the _Searcher_ skimmedover the surface of the sea like a bird.
The air was soon taken into the reservoirs, the flap or panel wasclosed, and sinking into the bosom of the waves, she glided along, movedby her powerful screw, like a big fish; only the helmsman, sitting inhis solitary place of lookout, being responsible for her management.
CHAPTER XXIV.
A PEARL WORTH A FORTUNE.
They traversed the ocean at a depth of about a hundred yards from thesurface.
The health of the captives continued good.
Stump was the only grumbler; the others read and talked, resigningthemselves to their fate, and waiting the next adventure which shouldbefall them in their singular voyage.
"I tell you what it is, sir," exclaimed Stump one day; "I wish I couldget my fist near that there captain. If I wouldn't give him a knockoutI'd let a whale come and eat me."
"What have you to grumble at, my friend?" inquired Professor Woddle."You are comfortably housed, well fed, and have a constant source ofexcitement in the movements of this remarkable ship."
"Bother the ship. Why didn't she strike on a rock and bust up?" saidStump. "I'd rather be back to Nautical Hall any day than here."
"Bide your time, my lad," continued the professor; "something willhappen some day."
"Very prob'ble, sir, but it's waiting for it to turn up as I don't like.Just shove me alongside of that blessed captain, and if I don't givehim----"
"Stump," interrupted Mont, "you shut up. I wouldn't mind being back tothe Hall myself, but finding fault won't take us there."
"Certainly, sir. I don't have much chance of talking. I shall forget myown language soon; but no matter, I am only a hired boy, I know, and, ofcourse, shouldn't have no feelings."
Mont took the trouble to pacify him, explaining that to provoke aquarrel with the captain would not in any way improve their position.
On the contrary, it might deprive them of the little liberty andcomforts they now enjoyed, and make their miserable condition muchworse.
Stump saw this and promised to be quiet.
He was a strong lad for his age, as hard as iron, and brave as a younglion.
"Just promise me this, sir," he said.
"What?"
"If I see a good chance of stepping it, you'll be with me?"
"Like a shot. But we mustn't do anything rash, you know, Stump," repliedMont. "Captain Vindex is not to be trifled with. A man who can build aship like this, make electricity take the place of steam, and so storethe air as to make it sufficient for use for twenty-four hours, is oneof those great spirits who think of everything, and with whom we cannothope to cope on equal terms."
"Don't know so much about that, sir," said Stump. "I once had a roundwith a professional boxer and laid him low in two minutes."
Mont laughed, and the conversation dropped.
The voyage continued to the Indian Sea, and was not remarkable foranything more exciting than the capture of several turtles in nets, andthe shooting of various sea birds, which supplied an agreeable additionto the comforts of the table.
In the Indian Sea they encountered hundreds of the nautilus tribefloating gracefully on the surface of the water, their tiny sailsspread, catching the wind, and looking like little ships.
One day Captain Vindex entered.
"Would you like to see the banks upon which grow the oysters whichcontain the pearls?" asked the captain.
"Under the sea?" said Mont.
"An excursion, submarine?" said the professor.
"Precisely so. Are you inclined to go?"
"Very much, indeed," replied all in chorus, with the exception of Stump.
"This is not the time of year for the pearl divers to be at work," saidthe captain, "though we may see one or two. I will bring the ship nearerland, and show you some of the treasures of the deep. They fish forpearls in the Gulf of Bengal, in the Indian seas, as well as those ofChina and Japan, off the coast of South America, and in the Gulf ofPanama and that of California, but it is at Ceylon that they find therichest harvest."
"That is a fact," said the professor; "the richest pearls, as you say,are found here."
"Right," said the captain. "We, however, shall see more than any diverever dreams of. Perhaps I shall find my pearl worth a million, for whichI have searched so long. I shall be at your service, gentlemen, in a fewhours."
When the captain had departed the professor was very grave.
Carl and Mont were delighted at the prospect of finding pearls, butStump bit his nails in silence.
"I'll take home a pearl or two for luck!" exclaimed Mont.
"If you ever get home, sir," remarked Stump, half aloud.
"You'll go with us, won't you?" asked Mont.
"I'll go wherever you and Master Carl go, Master Mont," replied Stump,"because it's my duty to watch over you. But I aint going to have nosort of friendship with that captain, not by a jugful!"
"He's all right, when you know him."
"Is he? Then I don't want to know him."
Turning to the professor, Mont exclaimed:
"Shall we have good sport, sir?"
"Most likely," answered Mr. Woddle.
"Are there many sharks about?"
"It is no use disguising the fact. The sea hereabouts swarms with them.I should not like to meet one under the waves. A pearl has been calledby poets a tear of the sea, and anything more lovely around a maiden'sneck cannot be conceived. I have a strong wish to hunt for those tearsof the sea, and behold them growing in their shells, but Heaven protectus from the sharks."
Stump disappeared for a brief space, and returned with a long harpoon.
"What have you got there?" asked Mont.
"It's a reg'lar pig-sticker, isn't it, sir?" remarked Stump, regardingit admiringly.
"It does look as if it could give an ugly prod," remarked Carl.
"They call it a harpoon; thing for sticking whales. Me and Number One,that's the nigger as waits on us, is friends, sir, and he's given methis to fight the darned sharkses with."
"Bravo, Stump!" exclaimed Carl.
"It would be 'Bravo Stump,' if I could rip up an inch or two of thatcaptain, and seize the blessed ship!" rejoined the boy with a scowl.
Mont said nothing in reply, but waited patiently for the signal whichwould summon him and his companions to the captain's side.
It came an hour or two before daybreak.
A negro summoned them to the platform, near which the boat attached tothe ship was riding.
It was manned by four men, and when all the party were on board thenegroes began to row toward the island.
At six o'clock the day broke. They were a few miles from the land, whichwas distinctly visible, with a few trees scattered here and there.
The captain stood up in the boat, and narrowly regarded the sea. At lasthe gave a sign, and the anchor was lowered.
"Here we are," said the captain. "Put on your divers' caps, gentlemen,and follow me."
The heavy sea garments were quickly put on.
The electric lamps were not needed, because the depth was not great.
Besides, the electric light would attract the sharks, who were creaturesthey could not afford to despise.
The only arm given to each of the party was a long, sharp knife.
Captain Vindex set the example of springing into the sea, the othersfollowing him as soon as they were thoroughly equipped.
The negroes remained in the boat awaiting their return.
A depth of about three yards and a half did not give them a very greatsubmersion.
To be supplied with condensed air, to be armed, and well lighted up bythe sun was delightful. They walked along the bottom of the sea, easilyseeing the smallest object on all sides of them.
After some little walking they came to several oyster banks, from whichthe shells containing the valuable pearls were dragged by the hands ofthe divers.
There were millions of them, and the mine seemed inexhaustible.
They could not stop to examine everything, for it was necessary tofollow the captain everywhere.
The road was uneven; sometimes Mont could raise his arm and put his handout of the water; at others, he was descending a slope, and the sun'srays were not so vivid.
Everything became more obscure, and great shells were seen sticking tocuriously shaped rocks.
After a time a large grotto appeared before them, dimly lighted.
The captain entered, followed by the rest of the party, the professoreagerly taking note of everything.
Stump carried his harpoon, which was a good deal longer than himself;and the two boys eagerly looked for pearls, as if they expected to findthem lying at their feet.
Descending an inclined plane, Captain Vindex stopped and pointed out anobject which they had not hitherto perceived.
It was an oyster of gigantic size.
Lying alone upon the granite rock, it took up a large space, and neverhad the professor even heard of such a huge bivalve.
The shells were open a little, as if the oyster was feeding, whichenabled the captain to introduce his knife.
Keeping the two shells open by both ends of his knife, he pushed backthe flesh of the oyster and revealed a pearl as big as a small cocoanut.
It was a pearl worth at least a hundred thousand dollars.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE MAN OF MYSTERY.
Mont advanced to the oyster, and stretched out his hand as if he wouldhave seized the pearl, but he was disappointed.
By a sudden movement the captain withdrew his knife, and the two shellscame together with a sharp snap.
Satisfied with showing them this treasure of the deep, he turned round,and retraced his steps, leaving the precious pearl behind them.
Incomprehensible man, he was now more than ever a mystery to our hero.
He allowed them to seek and take numerous other pearls, but would notlet them touch that he had shown them.
Again they wandered along the bottom of the sea, beholding many thingsworthy of observation.
Sometimes the bank was so shallow that their heads came above the water;at others they sank several yards below.
Suddenly the captain stopped, and by a movement of his hand ordered theparty to conceal themselves behind a projecting rock.
He pointed to the liquid mass in front of them, and all followed withtheir eyes the direction indicated.
About five yards off a shadow came between the party and the rays of thesun.
Mont thought of the "sea butcher," as the divers of Ceylon call theshark, and trembled a little at the idea.
But he deceived himself, for this time he had nothing to fear from themonster of the ocean.
A living man, an Indian, as black as ink, shot through the water,doubtless an early fisher for pearls.
The bottom of his canoe could be seen up above, a few feet beyond hishead.
Arriving at the bottom, which was about five yards deep, he fell on hisknees, let go the stone he had held between his feet to sink with morerapidity, and began to rake up the oysters from the bank with bothhands.
A cord was around his waist, the other end being attached to his boat,and this he pulled at when he wanted to rise.
To his loins was attached a little bag, into which he put the oysters asfast as he could gather them.
The Indian did not see anyone, and if he had he would have been soalarmed at the strange spectacle of curious-looking beings walking atease at the bottom of the sea that he would quickly have retired.
Several times he remounted and plunged again, not getting more than adozen oysters at each dip.
It appeared as if he risked his life for very little return, as in ascore of oysters he might not find a pearl worth having.
All at once, while on his knees, he made a gesture of terror, and seizedhis rope to ascend to the surface.
A gigantic mass appeared close to the wretched diver.
It was a huge shark, which advanced diagonally toward him, his terriblejaws open wide.
The Indian threw himself on one side and avoided the bite of the shark,but not the action of his tail.
Mont thought he heard the jaws snap, but he had not much time to think,as he saw the diver thrown down by a blow of the animal's tail andstretched upon the ground.
All this was done in a few seconds, and then the shark returned, lyingupon his back, in order the better to bite and divide the Indian inhalves.
Mont was about to rush forward to attempt to save the miserable wretch'slife, when he was pushed rudely back by Captain Vindex.
In his hand he held a knife, and was evidently prepared to battle forhis life against the shark.
The latter, just about to seize the Indian and snap him up, perceivedhis new adversary and, replacing himself upon his belly, directedhimself rapidly toward him.
He waited coolly the attack of the shark, which was one of the largestof its species, and when it charged him, he stepped quickly aside andplunged his knife into its belly up to the hilt.
Then
commenced a fearful combat.
The shark began to bleed dreadfully, tinging the sea in such a manner asto hide the two in a sea of blood.
As the water cleared a little, Mont saw the captain, caught by one ofthe creature's fins, stabbing at it as fast as he could, but not beingable to give it a deathblow. The shark lashed the sea with fury, andalmost prevented the professor and his friends from keeping theirfooting, though they were some distance off.
Neither the professor, Mont, nor Carl dared to go to the help of thecaptain, for it seemed as if the shark would bite them in two, and theylost their presence of mind for a time.
But Mont soon recovered, and then, catching Stump's harpoon, he dartedforward to do his best.
With his teeth set, he precipitated himself toward the shark, and struckit a terrible blow in the flank.
Again the sea was saturated with blood.
The shark agitated the water with indescribable fury, for our hero hadnot missed his aim.
It was the death agony of the monster.
Stricken to the heart, he struggled gallantly, but was powerless forfurther evil.
As the immense creature was dying, Mont pulled the captain from underhim, and at the same moment the Indian, coming to himself, detached thestone from his feet and shot upward.
Following the example of the pearl diver, the captain struck the groundwith his heels, as did the others, and all were soon at the surface.